encouraging young leaders to create environments that invite people to new life in Christ // thoughts from Rick Duncan, founding pastor at Cuyahoga Valley Church // Rick is also a lead navigator with Auxano, navigating leaders through growth challenges with clarity // Through NEO360 he mentors and trains church planters as a part of the Launch Group // Rick is available for speaking engagements, please check with his assistant, Elena Golsch, for scheduling. egolsch@cvconline.org

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Developing a personal plan to live new everyday

We all need to make changes if we are going to experience new life in Christ in 2013, stopping some things that limit our life in Christ and starting some things that will enhance the possibility of God making us more vibrant. We must clearly answer the “who, what, why, when, where, and how” questions when it comes to making changes.

I: Look at your calendar and schedule an hour to put your plan together. Make an appointment with yourself to be alone with God.

II: Spend an hour reflecting and praying.

You may want to think in these 5 categories: spiritual, relational, intellectual, emotional, and physical. Do an honest self-assessment using the 6 questions below. Then ask God to reveal the answer to the following question: What changes do I most need to make in order to experience a new life?

6 spiritual growth plan questions for 2013

1. As a Beloved Child, what promises from the Father do you need to claim in prayer this year? What is the most humanly impossible thing you will ask your Father to do this year?

2. As a Self-Feeder, what will you read and memorize in scripture this year and what books, CDs, and podcasts will you learn from this year?

3. As a Servant, what is the biggest time-waster in your life and how will you minimize that in order to volunteer in a ministry of CVC?

4. As an Investor, how will you grow in your generosity to CVC and other ministries this year? (Think priority giving – Matthew 6:33; percentage giving – Malachi 3:8-10; and progressive giving – II Peter 3:18).

5. As a Reproducer, how will you deepen your commitment to your LifeGroup this year and how will you encourage/mentor someone?

6. As a Missionary, how will you commit to Missional Living, joining God in His mission to restore the broken so that others will come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord?

III. Write down your plan. Call your goals “foundational practices for a new life in Christ.” Be realistic. Don’t set the bar so high that you end up discouraged if you should fail. Then, write it down, keep it visible, and share it with family, your LifeGroup, your accountability partner.

Jesus can give you new life. And as more and more of us at CVC live new in 2013, our church will be renewed, too.

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About Me

Rick is currently serving as Founding Pastor and Pastor of Missional Living and Leadership Development at Cuyahoga Valley Church (CVC). Rick and his wife, Maryanne, along with one other couple started the church in 1987. God has graced CVC with approximately 2,000 attenders each weekend at 4 services. Rick says, "I thank God for the gifted staff and volunteers I serve with at CVC. Jesus has done great things for us. To Him alone be the glory." Before becoming a pastor, Rick served 4 years on staff of the FCA in Jacksonville, Florida. Rick graduated Summa Cum Laude from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in 1986. He was ordained by the Far Hills Church in Dayton, Ohio in 1987. A graduate of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, Rick was a 4-year letterman on the baseball team. He earned All-SEC honors 3 times as an outfielder. Rick was drafted by the Minnesota Twins and spent 5 years playing professional baseball in pursuit of his dream to make it to the major leagues. His dream now is to "encourage young leaders to create environments that invite people to new life in Christ." Rick is still in love with his wife, Maryanne. He enjoys spending time with his three sons, Alan, Ryan, and Evan. And he is the proud father-in-law of Joanna, Alan's bride, and the proud grandfather of their son born on 12/25/2010, Ethan.